The National Weather Service has issued a flood watch for a region that includes Washington County and West Virginia’s Eastern Panhandle.
The flood watch is in effect June 9 through midnight at the end of the day.
The flood watch is due largely because there is a possibility of heavy rain June 9 when the ground is already saturated from rain during the last few weeks, said meteorologist Erik Taylor with the Baltimore-Washington Forecast Office.
Showers and scattered thunderstorms are likely in the region.
Those showers and storms could occur between 4 p.m. and midnight Monday, June 9, for the Washington County area, Taylor said.
Along with the risk of scattered showers and thunderstorms could be locally strong and severely damaging wind and locally heavy rain, he said.
Excessive runoff could lead to flooding of rivers, creeks, streams and other low-lying and flood-prone areas, according to the watch.
Storm season has begun: What to know in Washington County, Maryland
Through its “Turn Around, Don’t Drown” campaign, the weather service cautions people to never to drive around barriers blocking a flooded road, according to its website. It only takes a foot of rushing water to carry way most cars and only 6 inches to knock over an adult.
More deaths occur each year from flooding than any other thunderstorm-related hazard, according to the weather service.
In Pennsylvania, Franklin County is among the areas covered under a hazardous weather outlook from the weather service. Scattered severe thunderstorms with damaging winds 60 mph or greater and locally heavy rain are possible for the remainder of June 9 and into the early morning of June 10.
Taylor said tapering showers are expected overnight and there could be lingering showers on the morning of Tuesday, June 10.
But the Washington County area should start drying out the afternoon of June 10, he said.
This article originally appeared on The Herald-Mail: Washington County, MD, under flood watch Monday evening, June 9